PIERRE, S.D. – The South Dakota Board of Regents, meeting for the first time with its incoming executive director and chief executive officer, has created a framework of expectations and directions for his tenure starting next month.

Paul B. Beran, chancellor of the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith, was appointed July 27 to lead South Dakota’s six public universities and two special schools. Beran will begin his new duties in South Dakota Sept. 1, but he spent several days this week meeting with regents at their annual planning session in Pierre.

“Higher education has a powerful story to tell, from individual student advantages to workforce readiness, from macro-economic impacts to broader societal contributions,” Regents President Kevin Schieffer said. “Both on behalf of regents and in partnership with other postsecondary education partners, we encourage Dr. Beran to go forth and tell that story. Help us tell it, and help our partners tell it.”

The board encouraged Beran to emphasize strong collaborations with other education partners, including the state’s technical institutes, K-12 education, tribal colleges, and private institutions, as well as with business and industry. Schieffer said this will become increasingly important as these partners coordinate efforts to increase the number of South Dakotans with some form of postsecondary credential.

Other expectations for the CEO, as established by the Board of Regents:

Work to secure state funding for need-based financial aid;

Identify and improve educational opportunity for minority and underrepresented populations;

Increase university-based research activity;

Seek out new ways to achieve efficiencies, manage facilities, and manage finances within the public university system;

Develop a clear mission going forward for the public university centers operating in Rapid City and Sioux Falls.

A link to the full “board expectations” document may be found at this website.